May 25th, 2009
London
Spent a few days zooming around the English countryside. Saw the remains of a Roman fort (part of Hadrian's wall), a lot of sheep and Stonehenge. Got used to the roads and saw more cameras on both the highways and in the local towns then I would have thought possible. How many people do they have watching all those anyway?
Finally hit London and gave up the car. Now we have four more days before the flight back to Canada. Damn.
Monday, May 25, 2009
What in god's name does the dog have in its mouth?
Scotland
Having completed a week in Ireland which saw us drive south from Dublin, along the east coast and up the west coast we felt that we had had enough. Ireland is really charming but seemed to be lacking 'Irishness'.
Over the last 10 years the country had been riding high on goodwill and property speculation and has now hit the wall harder than most. With local and European parliament elections coming up the roadsides are covered in election posters and the airwaves are filled with commentators lamenting the state of the economy. Throughout the countryside we pass large suburban style homes that seem to be vacation homes for expats or Europeans. Since they are miles from any sort of industry or city they certainly aren't for the working class.
Of course everywhere in Ireland there are old monasteries and churches. Old walls and narrow lane ways but it somehow seems like we are still in Europe.
We flew from Dublin to Glasgow, rented a car and explored Scotland. Now here was some serious character. From the castles dotting the landscape to the single malt sold in the pubs it was really what I imagined. Up in the highlands there was still some snow on the hills (they call them mountains but by BC standards they are just big hills) and vast landscapes with nothing but grass. In the lowlands the hills are filled with sheep but the rolling nature of the landscape makes it anything but boring. At least here some of the roads are over 10 feet wide so the driving is not too bad. (For me at least - Lana's fingerprints are now embedded in the dashboard of the rental car).
I even visited the distillery of the best whiskey on the planet - the Macallan. Not as well known as some of the other single malts even the distillery is somewhat hidden in the hills. The other ones like Glenliviet have big signs on the road but you have to look for the home of Macallan. I couldn't even get on a tour since they only take 10 at a time but at least they gave me some whiskey. (the 10 year old from the sherry oak casks - if you are interested). Now at least I am content with my life - no other mountains to climb now.
Edinburgh was great but the lack of hotel rooms (due to the rugby championships) limited our time there. We mostly stayed in B&B's and have gotten used to massive Scottish breakfasts with eggs, sausage, toast, cereal and slabs of bacon. One night we stayed in a farm B&B since we couldn't find any other spot near Edinburgh. Turned out to be the best place that we stayed the whole trip.
Big fluffy beds, our own bathroom, green landscapes out of an 18th century painting and even a friendly Labrador retriever to come and lay its head on your lap. I spent part of the afternoon watching another guest trying to fly fish the small pond next the house while the cattle mooed in the nearby fields. Guess he didn't want to try for the salmon in the small river below.
Guess you can tell that we really liked Scotland.
Oh and the dog. I was in the house with the owner and we saw the dog happily trotting by with what appeared to be the leg of a calf. The owner's face went white and he dashed out the door. Guess there were some cows calving in the next field and one of them was still born. Nothing like the country life.
Having completed a week in Ireland which saw us drive south from Dublin, along the east coast and up the west coast we felt that we had had enough. Ireland is really charming but seemed to be lacking 'Irishness'.
Over the last 10 years the country had been riding high on goodwill and property speculation and has now hit the wall harder than most. With local and European parliament elections coming up the roadsides are covered in election posters and the airwaves are filled with commentators lamenting the state of the economy. Throughout the countryside we pass large suburban style homes that seem to be vacation homes for expats or Europeans. Since they are miles from any sort of industry or city they certainly aren't for the working class.
Of course everywhere in Ireland there are old monasteries and churches. Old walls and narrow lane ways but it somehow seems like we are still in Europe.
We flew from Dublin to Glasgow, rented a car and explored Scotland. Now here was some serious character. From the castles dotting the landscape to the single malt sold in the pubs it was really what I imagined. Up in the highlands there was still some snow on the hills (they call them mountains but by BC standards they are just big hills) and vast landscapes with nothing but grass. In the lowlands the hills are filled with sheep but the rolling nature of the landscape makes it anything but boring. At least here some of the roads are over 10 feet wide so the driving is not too bad. (For me at least - Lana's fingerprints are now embedded in the dashboard of the rental car).
I even visited the distillery of the best whiskey on the planet - the Macallan. Not as well known as some of the other single malts even the distillery is somewhat hidden in the hills. The other ones like Glenliviet have big signs on the road but you have to look for the home of Macallan. I couldn't even get on a tour since they only take 10 at a time but at least they gave me some whiskey. (the 10 year old from the sherry oak casks - if you are interested). Now at least I am content with my life - no other mountains to climb now.
Edinburgh was great but the lack of hotel rooms (due to the rugby championships) limited our time there. We mostly stayed in B&B's and have gotten used to massive Scottish breakfasts with eggs, sausage, toast, cereal and slabs of bacon. One night we stayed in a farm B&B since we couldn't find any other spot near Edinburgh. Turned out to be the best place that we stayed the whole trip.
Big fluffy beds, our own bathroom, green landscapes out of an 18th century painting and even a friendly Labrador retriever to come and lay its head on your lap. I spent part of the afternoon watching another guest trying to fly fish the small pond next the house while the cattle mooed in the nearby fields. Guess he didn't want to try for the salmon in the small river below.
Guess you can tell that we really liked Scotland.
Oh and the dog. I was in the house with the owner and we saw the dog happily trotting by with what appeared to be the leg of a calf. The owner's face went white and he dashed out the door. Guess there were some cows calving in the next field and one of them was still born. Nothing like the country life.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Didn't we already go by that?
May 14, 2009
Kenmare, Ireland
On the spur of the moment we decided to take a cheap flight out of Helsinki to Dublin. Landed and got a car and headed out after a lecture on the huge number of accidents in Ireland.
Spent the first night just south of Dublin and enjoyed a country where the menus were all in English. First impressions is that Ireland is really green. The second one is that it is really expensive. The third is that the roads are way too narrow for cars. Maybe for motorbikes or bicycles but not cars.
Spent the second night night in Midelton in a hostel run by a very nice lady who taught Gaelic and had opinions on every thing else. By chance we stopped at the Jameson Irish Whiskey distillery as we drove by. (It was by chance - honest). I know have a certificate saying I am a qualified Irish whiskey taster.
Spent a lot of time racing by on small roads with no names looking for connections to other places that may or may not exist.
A friend told me that it takes a long time to get anywhere in Ireland and he was right. When it says that your objective is 150 km away you better plan on a three hour drive. Of course it might be better if we quit taking the scenic route all the time. Maybe if we found a road without a village every fifty feet or so.
Stopped at little Irish villages to have hot soups and cold beer. Spent a good 30 minutes in one just trying to get out of town and we kept ending up at the same place.
Anywhere else in the world the streets we were on would have been one way with no parking. In Ireland they have parking on one side and allow two way traffic. That means that you have to peer down the street and give way if anyone is coming your way. If you are already on it then you have to hope that they will be pulling over for you. Reminded me of driving narrow mountain paths where there is only room for one.
Tonight we had a drink at a pub with a little Celtic band in one corner. I even had a pint of Guinness. It is Ireland after all.
Kenmare, Ireland
On the spur of the moment we decided to take a cheap flight out of Helsinki to Dublin. Landed and got a car and headed out after a lecture on the huge number of accidents in Ireland.
Spent the first night just south of Dublin and enjoyed a country where the menus were all in English. First impressions is that Ireland is really green. The second one is that it is really expensive. The third is that the roads are way too narrow for cars. Maybe for motorbikes or bicycles but not cars.
Spent the second night night in Midelton in a hostel run by a very nice lady who taught Gaelic and had opinions on every thing else. By chance we stopped at the Jameson Irish Whiskey distillery as we drove by. (It was by chance - honest). I know have a certificate saying I am a qualified Irish whiskey taster.
Spent a lot of time racing by on small roads with no names looking for connections to other places that may or may not exist.
A friend told me that it takes a long time to get anywhere in Ireland and he was right. When it says that your objective is 150 km away you better plan on a three hour drive. Of course it might be better if we quit taking the scenic route all the time. Maybe if we found a road without a village every fifty feet or so.
Stopped at little Irish villages to have hot soups and cold beer. Spent a good 30 minutes in one just trying to get out of town and we kept ending up at the same place.
Anywhere else in the world the streets we were on would have been one way with no parking. In Ireland they have parking on one side and allow two way traffic. That means that you have to peer down the street and give way if anyone is coming your way. If you are already on it then you have to hope that they will be pulling over for you. Reminded me of driving narrow mountain paths where there is only room for one.
Tonight we had a drink at a pub with a little Celtic band in one corner. I even had a pint of Guinness. It is Ireland after all.
What dock are you at?
Helsinki Finland
Turku Finland
After a long 91/2 months we finally saw our son again.
The ferry ride over from Estonia took two hours. The ship was more of a cruise ship then ferry and it was full of Finns bringing back cut rate beer and liquor.
As the ship neared the dock David called on the cell and asked if the ship was delayed. When I told that we were docking he said that was impossible since he was at the dock and no ships were coming in. Turns out he was at another dock about two kilometers away. After a period of us waiting and him trying to walk there we just decided to meet at the central train station in Helsinki. After a 20 minute wait for a bus (in the rain) we finally got there and of course didn't recognize him until he was right in front of us.
I haven't felt that good since my daughter came back from a year in Katimavik.
We took the two hour train back to Turku where he was living and then spent two days trying to meet all three of his host families. We stayed at the third host family and spent Mother's Day morning and afternoon with them. The first family we had dinner with and the second family we played salibandy (floorball - a kind of floor hockey) and had dinner. At both places the men had to go into the sauna a number of times (oh we also had to drink beer as part of it). At one place we also jumped into the small pool outside (9 C - 48 F) several times.
Sauna is a very important part of Finnish culture and I thought it was great. Not the same as a North American sauna at all. Certainly if you had any inhibitions before doing sauna you didn't after.
All the families were incredibly nice to us. They all asked why we were spending so little time in Finland and couldn't we stay longer. I had read that the Finns were a quiet reserved people, and maybe they are, but certainly not with us. After five months on the road it had been a long time since we had spent time with anyone but strangers. Now we have a lot of friends in Finland.
I think when we actually have a house again we would like to invite everyone in Finland for a visit although I will have to build a pretty damn big sauna.
Spent the last night in Helsinki with David. He has changed a lot but it is good to see that we can still drive him crazy with very little effort. Very hard to let him go again - even if it is only for a couple of months.
Turku Finland
After a long 91/2 months we finally saw our son again.
The ferry ride over from Estonia took two hours. The ship was more of a cruise ship then ferry and it was full of Finns bringing back cut rate beer and liquor.
As the ship neared the dock David called on the cell and asked if the ship was delayed. When I told that we were docking he said that was impossible since he was at the dock and no ships were coming in. Turns out he was at another dock about two kilometers away. After a period of us waiting and him trying to walk there we just decided to meet at the central train station in Helsinki. After a 20 minute wait for a bus (in the rain) we finally got there and of course didn't recognize him until he was right in front of us.
I haven't felt that good since my daughter came back from a year in Katimavik.
We took the two hour train back to Turku where he was living and then spent two days trying to meet all three of his host families. We stayed at the third host family and spent Mother's Day morning and afternoon with them. The first family we had dinner with and the second family we played salibandy (floorball - a kind of floor hockey) and had dinner. At both places the men had to go into the sauna a number of times (oh we also had to drink beer as part of it). At one place we also jumped into the small pool outside (9 C - 48 F) several times.
Sauna is a very important part of Finnish culture and I thought it was great. Not the same as a North American sauna at all. Certainly if you had any inhibitions before doing sauna you didn't after.
All the families were incredibly nice to us. They all asked why we were spending so little time in Finland and couldn't we stay longer. I had read that the Finns were a quiet reserved people, and maybe they are, but certainly not with us. After five months on the road it had been a long time since we had spent time with anyone but strangers. Now we have a lot of friends in Finland.
I think when we actually have a house again we would like to invite everyone in Finland for a visit although I will have to build a pretty damn big sauna.
Spent the last night in Helsinki with David. He has changed a lot but it is good to see that we can still drive him crazy with very little effort. Very hard to let him go again - even if it is only for a couple of months.
If Disney could see this
Tallinn, Estonia
We made it to the fairy tale old town of Tallinn, Estonia after a 17 hour bus trip from Warsaw. If you have never done that trip (and the chances are slight) then let me tell you that there are few flatter places on the earth then going north from Warsaw through the Baltic Republics. The highlight of the journey through Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and then Estonia was watching the colour of the brick farmhouses change from country to country. Good thing that they sold food on the bus (big two level bus) because nobody was carrying the four different currencies necessary to buy anything from the tiny little stands at the different bus stops.
Got into Tallinn (capital of Estonia) at about 11:00 pm and then tried to follow our google maps printout through the dark streets of the new city into the walled old section. Lana really wanted to stretch her legs after the bus ride and I barely stayed with her as we did the three kilometers. Eventually, despite people who kept trying to help us (the assumption being that no one with a backpack should be wondering around at night), we made the old city and found the hostel just as the cafes where closing. Fortunately the hostel staff knew of the Hell Hunt, a cool bar in the heart of the old city. Beer never tastes as good as it does after being on a bus for the last 17 hours.
The old sections of Tallinn are really old with the first fort being built there in 1050 AD although people have been living in the area since 3000 BC. It is all very colourful and, thankfully, very small so that getting around is not the same as a Prague or Veinna. There are the remains of the fortifications left by the German knights and lots of cobblestone streets. All the houses are stone and nothing runs in a straight line. You have to think that the knights would have appreciated all the cafes and pubs that have survived them. If Disney built an old city it would look like this.
We spent the one day here and then we are were on the way to Finland! Long way to come just to see a son - don't you think?
We made it to the fairy tale old town of Tallinn, Estonia after a 17 hour bus trip from Warsaw. If you have never done that trip (and the chances are slight) then let me tell you that there are few flatter places on the earth then going north from Warsaw through the Baltic Republics. The highlight of the journey through Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and then Estonia was watching the colour of the brick farmhouses change from country to country. Good thing that they sold food on the bus (big two level bus) because nobody was carrying the four different currencies necessary to buy anything from the tiny little stands at the different bus stops.
Got into Tallinn (capital of Estonia) at about 11:00 pm and then tried to follow our google maps printout through the dark streets of the new city into the walled old section. Lana really wanted to stretch her legs after the bus ride and I barely stayed with her as we did the three kilometers. Eventually, despite people who kept trying to help us (the assumption being that no one with a backpack should be wondering around at night), we made the old city and found the hostel just as the cafes where closing. Fortunately the hostel staff knew of the Hell Hunt, a cool bar in the heart of the old city. Beer never tastes as good as it does after being on a bus for the last 17 hours.
The old sections of Tallinn are really old with the first fort being built there in 1050 AD although people have been living in the area since 3000 BC. It is all very colourful and, thankfully, very small so that getting around is not the same as a Prague or Veinna. There are the remains of the fortifications left by the German knights and lots of cobblestone streets. All the houses are stone and nothing runs in a straight line. You have to think that the knights would have appreciated all the cafes and pubs that have survived them. If Disney built an old city it would look like this.
We spent the one day here and then we are were on the way to Finland! Long way to come just to see a son - don't you think?
Friday, May 8, 2009
Onward and northward
Warsaw, Poland
Yes, in response to hundreds of inquiries our laptop is still in a coma so my posting have to be short.
Took a ten hour bus ride to Warsaw and ended up renting a room in a guys apartment. Kinda of creepy but at least it was clean.
Walked to older section of Warsaw and saw all the sights including the Presidents Palace where they signed the Warsaw Pact. There were a few public displays of photos of what the city looked like by 1945. Over 90% of the buildings were destroyed in all the fighting. The medival section was completely gutted but yet somehow the citizens rebuilt it all. You would swear the old section had been there for 600 years.
There are lots of square and ugly apartment blocks left over from the communist days but the newer sky scrapers sort of cancel them out. The land outside of Warsaw is flat as a board and doesn't make for interesting viewing from the bus. Food and beer are cheap for Europe and the resturant selection (for those who can avoid such things) is pretty good in the downtown.
Went to a movie in a really upscale mall and saw lots of big box stores on the outskirts of the city.
It may, at times, look a little drab but they are coming right along. With the possible exception of the Palace of Sports. It was a gift from Stalin and is a huge skyscrapper with lots of socialist statues and dynamic posing. Has to be the ugliest thing I have seen in a long time.
And, for those of you who are wondering, the perogies are tremendous. On the other hand, after drinking lots of Czech beer (the best in the world) the local stuff tastes like Labatts.
Yes, in response to hundreds of inquiries our laptop is still in a coma so my posting have to be short.
Took a ten hour bus ride to Warsaw and ended up renting a room in a guys apartment. Kinda of creepy but at least it was clean.
Walked to older section of Warsaw and saw all the sights including the Presidents Palace where they signed the Warsaw Pact. There were a few public displays of photos of what the city looked like by 1945. Over 90% of the buildings were destroyed in all the fighting. The medival section was completely gutted but yet somehow the citizens rebuilt it all. You would swear the old section had been there for 600 years.
There are lots of square and ugly apartment blocks left over from the communist days but the newer sky scrapers sort of cancel them out. The land outside of Warsaw is flat as a board and doesn't make for interesting viewing from the bus. Food and beer are cheap for Europe and the resturant selection (for those who can avoid such things) is pretty good in the downtown.
Went to a movie in a really upscale mall and saw lots of big box stores on the outskirts of the city.
It may, at times, look a little drab but they are coming right along. With the possible exception of the Palace of Sports. It was a gift from Stalin and is a huge skyscrapper with lots of socialist statues and dynamic posing. Has to be the ugliest thing I have seen in a long time.
And, for those of you who are wondering, the perogies are tremendous. On the other hand, after drinking lots of Czech beer (the best in the world) the local stuff tastes like Labatts.
Friday, May 1, 2009
Prague no - Praha yes
May 1, 2009
You would think that city names would stay the same where ever but not so. In Europe Prague is Praha. Not sure why except that it does make you feel like an idiot when you are trying to explain where you are headed for.
Prague, sorry Praha, is a beautiful city that somehow escaped the destruction visited on most European cities for the last few centuries. The old town has magnificent churches and buildings some of which were built in the 1300s. If you like baroque then this is the place.
We made another late night arrival on the train from Vienna. Getting good at figuring out metro and tram systems while being dead tired. Our hostel is in a neighbourhood a little away from the overcrowded tourist district but it is only a 30 minute walk away.
The food here is heavy on the dumplings and of course beer is everywhere. There seems to be a small bar about every 20 feet and the drinking is serious. Of course this may have something to do with them having some of the best beer in the world, but then again maybe not.
The old parts of the city span the river and there is a castle and palaces on one side with the old city centre on the other. Prices here are less than in Vienna but they use their own currency so we are trying to do the currency rate thing in our head. At times it would be nice if we were back with the euro.
A fair number of people speak some English but it is amazing what you can do with a few frantic hand gestures and carefully watching the total on the cash register. Thank god that the numbers all look the same.
Lana thinks that Praha is the most beautiful city that she has ever seen and the old town certainly fits the bill. If Disney was going to come up with a European city theme park they would build something that looked like this. Things are crowded but I can't imagine what it is like during the height of the tourist season. It is bad enough on the old cobblestone streets as it is.
Talked with David in Finland a couple of days ago and he is, as we speak, somewhere in Russia. At the time we told him our travel plans (Praha, Warsaw, Tallinn and Helsinki) and he talked of his trip. It is going to be awful boring when we get back to Canada and start talking about Vancouver or Toronto.
By the way it is Spring here and the lilacs are in full bloom. Hard to stop Lana from leaping into the blooms to "smell the roses" so to speak.
You would think that city names would stay the same where ever but not so. In Europe Prague is Praha. Not sure why except that it does make you feel like an idiot when you are trying to explain where you are headed for.
Prague, sorry Praha, is a beautiful city that somehow escaped the destruction visited on most European cities for the last few centuries. The old town has magnificent churches and buildings some of which were built in the 1300s. If you like baroque then this is the place.
We made another late night arrival on the train from Vienna. Getting good at figuring out metro and tram systems while being dead tired. Our hostel is in a neighbourhood a little away from the overcrowded tourist district but it is only a 30 minute walk away.
The food here is heavy on the dumplings and of course beer is everywhere. There seems to be a small bar about every 20 feet and the drinking is serious. Of course this may have something to do with them having some of the best beer in the world, but then again maybe not.
The old parts of the city span the river and there is a castle and palaces on one side with the old city centre on the other. Prices here are less than in Vienna but they use their own currency so we are trying to do the currency rate thing in our head. At times it would be nice if we were back with the euro.
A fair number of people speak some English but it is amazing what you can do with a few frantic hand gestures and carefully watching the total on the cash register. Thank god that the numbers all look the same.
Lana thinks that Praha is the most beautiful city that she has ever seen and the old town certainly fits the bill. If Disney was going to come up with a European city theme park they would build something that looked like this. Things are crowded but I can't imagine what it is like during the height of the tourist season. It is bad enough on the old cobblestone streets as it is.
Talked with David in Finland a couple of days ago and he is, as we speak, somewhere in Russia. At the time we told him our travel plans (Praha, Warsaw, Tallinn and Helsinki) and he talked of his trip. It is going to be awful boring when we get back to Canada and start talking about Vancouver or Toronto.
By the way it is Spring here and the lilacs are in full bloom. Hard to stop Lana from leaping into the blooms to "smell the roses" so to speak.
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